Penn State coach James Franklin isn’t yet worried about the school’s reported impending partnership with Adidas.
Tuesday night, On3’s Brett McMurphy and others reported that the school was on the verge from switching to Adidas after a three-decade long partnership with Nike.
The next evening was the first chance reporters had to talk to Franklin since the news broke, and near the end of the availability, he was asked about it.
But he doesn’t care yet.
“At this point, I do not, (care)” Franklin said. “That’s something that the administration has been working on. I mean, obviously, you have an awareness of what’s going on. But we’re focused on our opponent for Saturday.”
This response isn’t a surprise from the man who preaches “going 1-0 each week.”
Penn State says that isn’t the case, releasing the following statement regarding the matter:
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“Penn State athletics is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) for its future apparel partnership and evaluating various opportunities,” the statement read. “This process will enable Penn State athletics to identify the best partner to support our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
Penn State has been with Nike since 1993 and would be the second team to jump from Nike to Adidas this year, joining Tennessee, which who announced its move, effective July 1, 2026, in August.
Terms of that deal include a 10-year partnership between the entities which is in the ballpark of $10 million annual value in product in cash. It also serves to help Tennessee in name, image and likeness involving all 20 of the varsity sports at the university.
The Board of Trustees next meets Sept. 11 and 12 as part of their normal meeting schedule.
A move to Adidas would reflect a drastic change in apparel for Penn State after three decades with Nike. It does reflect the changing landscape of college athletics as a deal with Adidas would involve an emphasis on Name, Image and Likeness resources.
What’s next is unknown, but given AD Pat Kraft’s willingness to do whatever necessary to better position Penn State athletics, it should come as no surprise the university is willing to entertain options even with a longstanding and seemingly positive partnership.
